Improved roofing material



UNTTED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

STEPHEN M. ALLEN, 0F WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED ROOFING MATERIAL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 43,l7l, dated June 21, 1864.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, STEPHEN M. ALLEN, of Woburn,in the conntyof Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand improved article, being a Composition for Roofing; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention has for its object the production of a roofing differing from those heretofore used, in this that it overcomes the difficulties which have prevented the succcessful application of composition roofing as asubstitute for slate, metallic, or common shingle roofing; also, to makea cheaper roof, yet much better than any composition roofing heretofore made in point of durability and imperviousness to water, resistance to change by heat or cold, wet or dry, its freedom from sudden chemical changes deleterious to the strength and wear of the covering, as well as lightness of the covering as compared with graveled composition roofings.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I shall now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is carried into effect.

I first take a paper which I call leatherpaper, in sheets such as are usually made upon paper-machines, either in square sheets, like ordinary paper-board, orin rolls, such as are usually made on continuous paper-machines.

The composition ofthe paperIuseis peculiarly,

adapted to roofing, owing to its resistance to decay under the changes of moisture, heat, cold, as well as to its tendency to remain in its position because of its non-liability to contract and expand under the influence of heat and cold to the extent as other articles heretofore made.

The composition of said leather roofing is substantially as follows, viz: For the base I use animal fiber, such as is usually thrown away, as waste leather scraps from tanneries, shoe-makers shops, or the scraps of nntanned rawhide used for glue-making. These scraps are mixed with vegetable fiber, which may be of various kinds, like wood, flax, hemp, and other fibrous substances, either used before or after the gluten or resinous matter is taken out, and the whole is ground together in an ordinary paper-mill and pulped and made into suitable sheets for the purpose. The proportion of mixture may be changed to suit circumstances. Sometimes more and sometimes less of the animal or vegetable fiber may be used,as the case may be;-and the insoluble properties of the paper may also be governed, according to circumstances, by taking more or less from either the animal or vegetable fiber- 6., by the use of alkaline or acid solutions whose peculiar destructive properties are to be calcula ed for the kind of roofing most suited for different climates. In some respects the composition of this paper differs very little from that described in the patents heretofore granted to me for method of preparing and applying leather-paper; but in this peculiar application I do not wish to be understood as confining myself wholly to either of these processes or modes of application. When the leather-paper is thus prepared in sheets suitable lor the purpose I usually saturate them in some resinous solution or a solution of coaltar, filling the pores of the paper, (if'they are not already impervious to water from theirpeculiar construction and manufacture) and lay them upon the roof, taking careto overlap the edges in a proper manner, and toconfine them by nailing or cleating, after which I put on a composition of heated resinous substances, similar to that usually used in compositions for roofing, adding sand ornot, as the case may be, and this becoming hard, the roofingis completed. 1

Sometimes when an extra roof is needed I add afelt, which I usuallymake from hair, waste wool, and vegetable fiber, somewhat similar to that described in the patent granted to me on the 4th day of February, 1863, which is made in sheets of suitable length, thickness, and adaptability, and is attached to the leatherpaper by a resinous composition, either before or after the paper is attached to the roof, upon which surface a thick coating of tar or composition is placed hot, which permeates the felting and forms, by the application of sand or otherwise, a hard impervious surface.

I have found roofing thus made and applied the best composition roofing which I have ever known, and in no case where I have applied it during the last twenty months has the root even leaked or been unfavorably affected by the weather. The reasons of this will be obvious to the reflective mind. I

First. The leather-paper, having in its composition a large proportion of animal fiber which is not easily affected by the pyroligneous and other acids which pervades the tar, and which rot and destroy the cotton paper and cloth usually used in roofing, resists such action of itself, while flax or hemp, particularly if made to retain the resinous and albuminous matter and united with animal fiber in the paper, is proof to the influence of pyroligneous and other acids, as is animal fiber itself. Both of thesefibers, when united,do not expand or contract under the influence of heat or cold, as cotton-paper.

Second. The application of the peculiar felt in manner described forms a covering over the leather-paper which protects it from the sun or extreme cold, thereby protecting the same from the influence of expansion and contraction, which are so injurious to roofing by causing the tearing out of nails and the uplifting or cracking ofthe sheets. At the same time a large amount of the resinous matter is held in the composition, which, being covered with sand, applied when hot, permeates the felting and makes a solid covering to the leather-paper below.

Third. If the boards of the roof should shrink and crack under the paper, the felt and cement or composition will yield enough to compensate for the same without cracking the surface.

Having thus described my invention and 2 earn shown the manner in which the same is performed, I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture,the herein-described roofing or sheathing for covering buildings, awnings, 850., the same consisting of sheets composed of animal and vegetable fibrous matter combined and pulped in the manner of pasteboard substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with sheets consisting of animal and vegetable fiber, combined as before described, the saturating of the same with coaltar or resinous matter, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with leather-paper saturated with resin or coal-tar, as described, of sand, gravel, or marl applied to the outside, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

4. Oementing to the leatherpaper when saturated with resin or coal-tar and coated with sand or other like substance, as described, a sheet of felt made of hair or wool, with or'without vegetable fiber, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN M. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

LEVI WILKINS, LYsANDEn BURNETT. 

